‘100 tourists robbed in Vic Falls hotels’

Pamela Shumba, Senior Reporter
ABOUT 100 tourists have been robbed while booked at hotels in Victoria Falls in the last four months.

Chegutu West legislator Dexter Nduna said this in Parliament on Thursday and called on the Government to strengthen security in resort areas to protect tourists who bring highly sought after foreign currency in the country.

Cde Nduna urged the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Transport and Infrastructure Development to look into issues of security for tourists, especially in Victoria Falls where about 100 robberies have been recorded in the last four months.

“The Committee on Transport and Infrastructure has done quite well resulting in infrastructure development at Victoria Falls Airport which has seen a rise in tourists arrivals in the resort town.

“Be that as it may, what has now occurred in the past four months is that about 100 tourists were robbed while booked in hotels in Victoria Falls. If this is not attended to, it will have a negative effect on the efforts done in infrastructure development,” said Cde Nduna.

He said it was important for the relevant authorities to prioritise strengthening of security in Victoria Falls and other resort towns.

“This is why I stand to ask that relevant authorities look at this scourge that is about to reverse the gains that the Committee on Transport and Infrastructure has brought to this country,” said Cde Nduna.

Deputy Speaker of Parliament Mabel Chinomona urged Cde Nduna to bring up the issue as a motion.

Tourist arrivals to Victoria Falls increased by 21 percent in the first six months of this year following the expansion of the airport which can now take 1.5 million visitors a year.

Eight airlines now fly into Victoria Falls after Ethiopian Airlines, Kenya Airways and South Africa’s Airlink started flying into the resort town, joining British Airways, Air Zimbabwe, South African Airways, Fastjet and Air Namibia.

In its latest report, hospitality group, Africa Albida Tourism said the resort town had recorded a 32 percent increase in international visitors to 84 249 between January and June this year from 63 016 during the comparable period last year.